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Ericsson Introduces Three IoT Solutions for Smart Homes, Cities

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Ericsson has launched three new solutions to equip communication service providers and utility companies to address services and requirements in the fast-growing Internet of Things (IoT) market.

Those new additions will strengthen Ericsson’s unique positon with end-to-end capability.

IoT is quickly emerging as a very significant agent of transformation as it blends the physical and digital worlds.

In the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, 28 billion connected devices are forecasted by the year 2021, more than half of which are M2M and IoT connections.

Numerous studies have identified the potential and value of IoT to society, with smart cities and connected homes, including consumer devices, making up as much that value.

Driving industry innovations in smart cities and connected homes, Ericsson is launching three IoT solutions: Smart Metering as a Service‎; User & IoT Data Analytics and Networks Software 17A Diversifying Cellular for Massive IoT

Smart Metering as a Service
ICT is becoming increasingly critical for utility providers as they look to improve operational efficiency and find ways to innovate and improve customer experience.

Smart Metering as a Service enables end-to-end business process outsourcing drawing on Ericsson’s experience of enabling more than 42 million smart meters worldwide.

The benefits of Smart Metering as a Service include reduced time-to-market, superior meter management and operations, as well as maximum cost savings.

In short, utility providers will enjoy lower total cost of ownership, reduced complexity as Ericsson acts as a single point of contact with IT service providers, telecom operators and field services companies; and improved quality of service.

For consumers, smart metering and a smarter, connected grid enables more reliable services, more accurate billing and the ability to control spending – thanks to timely consumption data.

It also supports advanced security automation lighting, heating and cooling services – identified by Ericsson’s recentConsumerLab report as areas of high interest for consumers.

Smart Metering as a Service will be commercially available in Q2 2016.

User & IoT Data Analytics
Exponential growth in the number of connected devices, both from consumers and industries, presents telecom operators with an opportunity to unlock the value of user and IoT data in their network databases.

Ericsson’s User & IoT Data Analytics allows operators to do that by providing a real-time analytics engine embedded in the subscriber database.

This solution extends Ericsson’s User Data Consolidation (UDC) offering, and works for both cellular- and non-cellular devices.

It can also fetch data from other vendors’ network data bases and aggregate them in the analysis.

Additional data from external sources can be included and, with the use of secure exposure, cross-industry IoT insights and applications also become a possibility.

As a result, operators can improve internal operational efficiency and expand business toward both consumers and industries.

In parallel, they can extend their roles in the IoT ecosystem beyond simply providing connectivity and climb up the value chain.

Ericsson User & IoT Data Analytics will be commercially available from end Q2 2016.

Networks Software 17A Diversifies Cellular for Massive IoT
In September 2015, Ericsson announced a suite of software upgrades to accelerate the uptake of IoT, removing roadblocks to mass-market adoption.

To meet the new challenges of supporting the coming massive numbers of IoT devices with a wide range of use cases and requirements, Ericsson is launching Networks Software 17A for Massive IoT that supports millions of IoT device connections per cell site.

The software-only upgrades introduce newest device category for LTE connections, Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT), to existing network infrastructure, for fast rollout of reliable, secure mobile connectivity at the lowest total cost of ownership.

NB-IoT is well suited to IoT applications such as metering and sensor monitoring and flexibly scales to support millions of connections per cell site.

It also reduces module costs by 90 percent and provides seven times better coverage.

Combined with power-saving improvements, it delivers more than 10-year device battery life while maintaining downlink reachability.

These enhancements complement features available in the previous software release to address the diversity of IoT requirements while making best use of the extensive global footprint of existing networks.

The upgrades to LTE and GSM networks provide an ideal platform for IoT growth.

Ericsson Networks Software 17A for Massive IoT will become commercially available in Q4 2016.

This means Ericsson will deliver the industry’s first complete cellular low-power, wide-area (LPWA) offering to market this year.


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E-Business

Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

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Access Holdings Plc and Coronation Group have partnered with Tate Modern to commemorate World Art Day with a virtual session highlighting the global significance of Nigerian modernism.

Access Holdings, Coronation Partner Tate Modern to Spotlight Nigerian Modernism

Access Holdings

The event, titled “In Conversation with Osei Bonsu: Inside Nigerian Modernism,” featured a virtual tour of the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and discussions on the evolution of modern art in Nigeria.

The session brought together staff members across both organisations, reflecting growing institutional engagement with arts and culture as a driver of societal development.

Speaking at the event, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of Coronation Group, Ngozi Akinyele, emphasised the role of art in shaping identity and national development.

She said that beyond financial capital, cultural and intellectual capital are essential in defining a nation’s prosperity and inspiring dialogue.

Akinyele noted that both organisations were committed to democratising access to art, ensuring it is accessible to a wider audience rather than a select few.

The discussion also featured insights from Tate Modern Curator, Osei Bonsu, and art expert Daniel Wallis, who examined the development of Nigerian modernism and its global relevance.

Bonsu said Nigerian modernism represents an independent reimagining of global art, rooted in the country’s diverse cultural heritage and expressed through unique visual languages.

According to him, the movement challenges narrow, Eurocentric definitions of modernism and highlights the richness of African artistic expression.

The session further underscored the growing international recognition of Nigerian art, particularly through exhibitions at Tate Modern.

Participants also reflected on the visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the exhibition, described as a milestone in promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage globally.

In his closing remarks, Chief Communications Officer of Access Holdings, Amaechi Okobi, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing African narratives on the global stage.

He said the collaboration with Tate Modern aligns with broader efforts to promote dialogue, preserve cultural identity and support the creative sector.

The event reinforced a shared commitment by Access Holdings, Coronation Group and Tate Modern to elevate African art globally and ensure Nigerian cultural narratives continue to shape international conversations.


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NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has issued a regulatory advisory to data controllers and processors across the country following what it described as escalating threats to Nigeria’s data security architecture.

NDPC Issues Critical Advisory as Hackers Target Nigeria’s Key Digital Systems

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In a statement signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, lead of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, the commission said its technical assessment revealed that some shadowy threat actors were engaged in coordinated operations targeting financial systems and critical digital infrastructure in Nigeria.

The commission urged public institutions to comply with the presidential directive of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which emphasises the strategic importance of data in national development.

According to the NDPC, the President had declared that “data is the new oil,” stressing the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to rigorously capture and safeguard information in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.

The commission therefore advised all data controllers and processors to urgently strengthen their technical and organisational measures to protect personal data and ensure compliance with the law.

It listed key measures to include the appointment of trained and certified Data Protection Officers, implementation of comprehensive privacy policies and information security standards, as well as conducting Data Privacy Impact Assessments.

Other measures recommended by the NDPC include deployment of robust identity and access controls such as Multi-Factor Authentication, adoption of zero-trust security architecture, prompt remediation of system vulnerabilities, and continuous patch management.

The commission also emphasised the need to secure cloud infrastructure, application programming interfaces (APIs), databases and access credentials, alongside real-time monitoring, logging and threat detection systems.

Further recommendations include encryption and secure credential handling, regular vulnerability assessment and penetration testing of critical systems, as well as routine backup and resilience testing.

The NDPC warned that organisations that fail to implement appropriate data protection measures in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 risk legal liabilities.

It reiterated its commitment to providing regulatory support to organisations while ensuring the protection of personal data and strengthening institutional resilience across all sectors.


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Africa’s Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

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The forex market across Africa is witnessing more participants and more regulatory attention than it did just a few years ago. This growth is part of a bigger picture: Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to expand by 4.3% in 2026, while global forex turnover already hit an estimated $9.6 trillion daily in April 2025. However, there’s more to it than macroeconomic figures.

Africa's Forex Market in 2026: Key Trends Every Trader Should Watch

The trends reshaping the market are happening from within. Here are six worth paying close attention to.

1. Trading Has Moved to the Phone

The number of people accessing the market via mobile phones exceeds those accessing it via traditional bank systems. GSMA states that in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, there are more than 1.1 billion registered mobile money accounts.

The International Monetary Fund states that digitalisation and increased usage of the internet are changing payment systems in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Mobile access changes traders’ behavior. It lowers the barrier to entry and speeds up deposits and withdrawals. Therefore, brokers who can provide a quality mobile trading experience will have a huge advantage.

2. Regulators Are Watching

The market is becoming more structured and more transparent. In South Africa, the FSCA regulates market conduct for financial institutions. In Kenya, the Capital Markets Authority regulates capital markets and maintains a licensing system that includes online forex brokers.

Nigeria’s SEC has publicly warned that online retail forex trading can be subject to abuse when unregulated. It also provides tools for investors to check operators’ registrations.

As a result, in 2026, more traders are likely to favour brokers that can show clear licensing, transparent operations, and stronger investor safeguards.

3. Volatility Varies by Country

A common mistake is perceiving the African market as one entity. In reality, according to RegTech Afrika, there are 21 countries out of a total of 54 that have a chance of seeing their currencies depreciate in 2025, with some of them losing value by as much as 6% or more.

A trader watching the rand, naira, shilling, or cedi, regional headlines needs more than regional headlines. Country-level macro data, central bank moves, and the US dollar will still play a major role.

4. Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure Is Quietly Improving

Platforms like PAPSS are helping make payments across African countries faster and easier to complete in local currencies. According to official announcements of PAPSS, it has become operational in 18 countries across Africa, with its latest launch in Algeria in 2025. It has also become operational in Kenya through a partnership with KCB Group, as well as in Rwanda through a partnership with Bank of Kigali.

Step by step, Africa is becoming a more financially connected continent.

5. Execution Quality Is the New Standard

Data from the BIS shows that in April 2025, three-quarters of FX trades were intermediated by the global centers of the United Kingdom, the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Therefore, the best liquidity and best prices are still linked to global conditions.

For local markets, this raises the bar. Forex traders are becoming increasingly aware that tight spreads, while important, mean little without reliable prices and execution. Brokers like JustMarkets that can bring all of these elements together are in a much stronger position than competitors.

6. Education as a Necessity

Regulatory disclosures from major global brokers illustrate how tough it is to trade without proper knowledge. According to publicly available disclosures, between 70% and 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

Forex traders who understand risk management and which financial news to follow have a better chance of surviving the market. Brokers who invest in education are more likely to be seen by traders as valuable partners rather than mere facilitators.
The Market Rewards the Prepared

Africa’s forex market in 2026 is shaped by volatility, stricter rules, and mobile-first trading. The traders who combine market knowledge with the right tools and the right broker will find real opportunity here, while those who don’t adapt will find the market increasingly unforgiving.


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